Ali Khamenei, Iran’s regime Supreme Leader, stated during a meeting with Iraq’s Prime Minister that the United States is trying to expand its presence in Iraq, and therefore, the Iraqi government must further strengthen Hashd al-Shaabi, the Iranian-backed Shiite militia group.
On Wednesday, January 8, during a meeting in Tehran with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, Khamenei said: “Hashd al-Shaabi is one of the key pillars of power in Iraq, and efforts must be made to preserve and further strengthen it.”
Khamenei’s emphasis on maintaining and strengthening Hashd al-Shaabi comes as prior reports indicated that the Iraqi Prime Minister’s visit to Tehran aimed to discuss “the dissolution and integration of certain armed groups within the Hashd al-Shaabi structure.”
Last week, reports emerged that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump had sent a special message to the Iraqi Prime Minister, emphasizing the need to limit Iranian regime’s proxy forces and prevent interference in Syria’s internal affairs following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government.
On Wednesday, January 8, in a separate speech, Khamenei reiterated his regime’s anti-American stance, stating: “Before the revolution, Iran was under U.S. control, but the Islamic Revolution took away that immense political and economic wealth from American hands. Therefore, their resentment towards the revolution is immense.”
He added: “The U.S. failure to reclaim Iran despite heavy costs over the past 46 years is another reason for their hatred toward the Iranian nation and regime. America has failed in Iran and is now trying to compensate for that loss, which is why it opposes the Iranian people in every possible way.”
Khamenei further stated: “One of the demands of global arrogance, led by the U.S., from all nations, including Iranian officials, is to prioritize their interests in policy-making. Accepting this unreasonable demand from the U.S. would threaten democracy and republicanism in our country.”
“The people have voted for officials to serve their interests, not America’s. Therefore, decision-makers in economic matters such as inflation, production, and currency, as well as cultural issues like hijab, must only consider the interests of the Iranian nation, without any regard for American and Zionist interests.”
Khamenei’s call for strengthening Hashd al-Shaabi comes at a time when the so-called ‘Resistance Axis’ has been severely weakened due to the fall of Assad’s government and the elimination of Hezbollah Lebanon’s secretary-general and senior commanders.
Hashd al-Shaabi is considered one of Iran’s proxy forces in the region.
Following the collapse of Assad’s government, multiple reports have emerged about U.S. efforts to restrict Iranian regime’s proxy forces in Iraq.
During the fall of Assad’s government, Hashd al-Shaabi stated that its forces were not deployed in Syria and would only enter Syrian conflicts upon receiving orders from the Iraqi Prime Minister.
